Summernight
by Namwolf
Summary: In an age yet to come an age long passed a young woman finds out strange things about herself and the world around her. this story hasn't a real conection to the events and characters of the books so just read it and find out what it is all about and pl


Summernight1

Disclaimer: the world and background belong to Robert Jordan and the characters belong to me.

Author note:this is my first WOT story and it's not really connected to the books, but I hope it will be good anyway I want to thank Lowell for editing this story now go ahead and read 

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Summernight

The summer skies were clear, and the girl standing on the hill looked thoughtful. Today was her sixteenth Nameday. She needed to go home—she knew her parents were waiting for her—but she did not want to go. Something in the wild hills called to her—it had called to her before, but she had never answered it. This time, she decided to stay for a little while and listen, although she could imagine what Mother's reaction would be when she came home late for the midday meal. "After all," she said to herself, "it's my birthday today, so I deserve it."

She sat on the ground, wishing to rest for a while, when she noticed it—though it was more like she _felt _it then _saw _it. It was a warm, comforting, even brotherly presence, just on the edge of her mind—and it was a _wolf_! She froze, staring at its golden gaze for what seemed both an instant and an Age a while neither daring nor wishing to escape. A sudden bird-cry from the skies distracted her and broke the spell; when she turned back, the wolf was gone. She wondered for a long while about that experience, but then she remembered her parents and quickly she set off towards home.

"_Riana_! Where have you been, child!? I have been looking for you all day—I have great news!" Mother called from the door. "I have been to the…. Never mind, child, come inside and hurry up!" Riana ran to Mother and followed her into the house, wondering what news was so important. Father, sitting in his favorite overstuffed chair and smoking his pipe, smiled broadly as they entered.

"Here, child, sit down," Mother held out Riana's own favorite chair. "Your father and I have good news to tell you." Riana sat and tried to look attentive. Now she was _really _wondering what the news was. "Well, child, do you remember Master Gerdin?"

"Vaguely," she answered carefully—actually, she knew him well, by reputation at least. Everyone said he was one of the richest men in the province, then whispered, _but also one of the nastiest_.

"Well, anyhow, apparently Master Gerdin saw you somewhere and noticed how you've grown and…. Well, he came to talk to us last evening and, well, it has been arranged…."

"What has been arranged?" Riana's mind did not seem to want to work at all.

"Why, your marriage, of course!" Father beamed.

"_My marriage_!?" Riana's feet felt numb. Her parents could not _possibly _expect her to marry this, this _horrible old man_—could they? They would not _force _her to do it—would they? Alas, the too-radiant smile on Mother's face and that contented look in Father's eyes told her differently.

"Yes, your marriage, child! Whatever is the matter with you today—are you deaf? All the same, you should be happy! It is a very good match! Well, aren't you happy?"

"Yes, Mother, I am," she mumbled quietly in response. Her feet still did not seem to respond, but she desperately wanted to get away, back to her hills.

"Well, child, what are you waiting for? Off you go, now!" Father admonished, though his smile was intended to take the sting out of his words. Riana went to her chores, her mind far from the work.

That evening, in her room, Riana cried. She cried silently, though harder than she had ever cried before. All the while, she could feel a… _presence_… in the back of her mind, comforting her, telling her to be strong. Soothed by that presence, she fell asleep at last.

* * *

The following week was the most miserable one Riana had ever known. Mother kept talking about the wedding, telling her how happy she should be; Riana kept replying obediently how happy she was. More importantly, the meeting with Master Gerdin at the end of the week was always hovering above her like gathering storm clouds. Mother was completely preoccupied with the preparation for Master Gerdin's visit; she made sure everybody else was as preoccupied as she was, including, of course, Riana. Adding to all that, wolves seemed to be _everywhere_! Even Mother noticed them, which made her even more annoyed. Riana tried to ignore the wolves and their presences in her mind, but she did not put her heart into it. They were just too comforting; in fact, they were the only things that kept her going that week.

Then the end of the week arrived, the time for Master Gerdin's visit. Riana was sitting in her family's best room, wearing her best dress, when he entered. Master Gerdin was fat, a sure sign of wealth in her poor province, and he wore so much jewelry that he actually _tinkled _when he moved! "Ha, Master Gerdin, how good of you to come," her mother greeted him as obsequiously as she knew how.

"It is a _pleasure _to meet you and your _beautiful _daughter," he replied. Riana did not like the emphasis he put on the word _pleasure_, nor did she like the way his eyes moved over her when he said it. He sat next to her; she mumbled some sort of greeting, not even noticing what. Then he moved closer to her. As his _smell_—not just his sickly sweet perfume, but something _else_—reached her nose, her stomach turned and she wanted to retch. Beside that gruesome, ugly smell that she had smelled around him a few times before, she smelled something else now—a sense of pure, uncontrolled _lust_. No, more than that—it was the smell of a snake closing in for the kill.

She shuddered and tried to ignore it—it was all probably just her imagination. Gerdin smiled as he said something and big yellow teeth were exposed. Riana could not take it. She wanted to run, to scream; she wanted to be back on the hills now more than ever—but she did not move. She felt like she was split into two parts, one sitting, carrying on an empty conversation, the other screaming to get away.

Finally, the meeting was over, and Gerdin left—but not before he kissed her hand. His touch _burned_. Riana ached to clean her hand. Mother told her something, but for the first time in her young life, Riana did not listen to her at all. Instead, she ran into the hills.

Far from her home and village, Riana stood on a starlit hill for a long time, screaming, crying, and yelling. A part of her told her that she was acting like a stupid little girl, that she was silly, that surely her parents knew what was best for her—but she crushed that voice. Her emotions spent, she stood there for a long time in silence. Then a memory from that hazy meeting drifted back. She was to be married on Midsummer night—_only two more days_! She tried to think. _What should I do? I can't marry that… monster!_ Even though Riana felt betrayed, her parental ties were strong. _But where can I go?_ _What would Mother say?_

Come with us, sister, the words drifted to her mind.

"What? Who, where are you?" She looked around, too surprised for fright.

__

I am here, sister. Come, join us. Riana turned around and dimly saw a shadowed wolf.

"It can't be you, can it?" she asked, still unafraid despite the darkness.

__

It is me, sister. Will you not join the pack?

__

A wolf spoke to me, she thought. _A wolf! It can't be, and yet it is_. For a moment she wanted to run with him, to ran away from her life. Yet something stopped her, the same thing that made her turn away now and run home, the same part of her that called her a child.

* * *

The two days following were the busiest Riana had ever experienced, but they were also the worst. She did not want to get married, but when she told that to Mother, she just quietly told her that she was nervous. "You will grow to love him, I know. Right now, you're just a plain, silly, ungrateful child who doesn't know what's best for you. I know."

Yet all the while the wolves were in Riana's mind, telling her to come join the hunt. Every time, Riana's objections grew weaker.

Then it was the night of the wedding. As clear, star-spangled summer skies hung above, Riana stood in the circle beside Gerdin. He was resplendent in jeweled finery, but it could not hide from Riana the foul miasma of hcharacter. The ceremony began, with the Wisdom speaking to them about their vows. The wolves in 's mind grew stronger still. She heard as if in a dream Gerdin saying his vows, then it was her turn. She looked at Gerdin's big, sweaty face, and Mother's smile, somehow frantic. Mother was doing something with her eyes, trying to hasten Riana towards saying her vows.

At last, something inside Riana _cracked_. Inside her soul, a part long present was ripped loose and left to wither. She looked once more at the Wisdom and Gerdin. Suddenly, her decision made, she turned and dashed into the night before anyone could move to stop her. She fled to the hills, to the wolves, to _her _pack. _Welcome me, brothers, I have come, _she said to them in her mind in the fashion of wolves.

__

Welcome, Summernight, come join the hunt! Their chorus of greeting rose into the night as pieces of white fabric flew on the wind. Summernight was free!


End file.
